RIMBA AIR FORCE BASE, Friday, 04 February 2022 – The Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) has retired its entire fleet of MBB Bolkow 105 helicopters after 41 years of service in a ceremony held at the Air Movement Centre (AMC), Rimba Air Force Base. The retirement ceremony of the fleet, which had operated under No.1 Wing, Operations Group, was attended by officers and personnel of RBAirF, most of whom have served with the Bolkow 105.
Present as the guest of honour was Brigadier General (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan Mohammad Sharif bin Dato Paduka Haji Ibrahim, the Commander of RBAirF. The ceremony started with a speech delivered by the guest of honour. The event proceeded with the signing of a replicate of BAF 707: Change of Serviceability Log, which marked the official retirement of the fleet. The Commander of RBAirF was then presented with a video montage that included a brief history and journey of the Bolkow 105 in RBAirF.
The MBB Bolkow 105 was a German-made aircraft first introduced into No.2 Squadron, Air Wing in 1981 with a total of six helicopters. Before local personnel took over in 1993, the fleet was entirely administered and maintained by REME (Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineering), British Army Loan Service.
Equipped with the Sura Rocket system, it intends to boost the nation's defence and organisation's overall operational preparedness by launching rocket projectiles at ground targets, providing air to ground support as well as close air support for ground troops. In 2003, the system was replaced with a new rocket system from Belgium known as Forges De Zeebrugge (FZ Rocket) that travels twice the speed of sound with up to 10 kilometres radius.
The Bolkow 105 is a versatile, fast and highly agile helicopter, hence, the callsign "Stinger". It is known for its significantly small size and high manoeuvrability, and extraordinary responsiveness in carrying out specific tasks and combat operations that required precision and efficiency, such as emergency evacuation, sniper shooting and vehicle interdiction.
The light helicopter featured a twin-engine capability that a crew of one in a single pilot operation or two pilots can operate. It plays a significant role in search and locate missions, providing air surveillance of land and maritime borders and troop lifts vital in ensuring the maintenance of national security.
The ceremony then continued with the presentation of mementoes from 12 Squadron and 52 Squadron to the RBAirF and the Commander of RBAirF.
Bolkow 105 has had 36 pilots served with it since its inception 41 years ago, and the entire fleet has amassed a total of 32,000 flight hours. The retirement of MBB Bolkow 105 fleet ceremony was hosted by Acting Squadron Commander of 12 Squadron, Major (U) Mohd Adi Faiz, who has maintained his flying currency since 2014 and has clocked a total of 800 flying hours on the aircraft.
The ceremony concluded with a tour that showcased pictures of former personnel of 12 Squadron and 52 Squadron and memorial parts of the aircraft, followed by a group photo session with the aircraft and personnel.
MAJLIS PENAMATAN PERKHIDMATAN PESAWAT HELIKOPTER BOLKOW 105
PANGKALAN TENTERA UDARA RIMBA, Jumaat, 4hb Februari 2022 - Pesawat helikopter MBB Bolkow 105 milik Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei (TUDB) di bawah kawalan Cawangan No.1, Kumpulan Gerakan telah menamatkan perkhidmatannya hari ini setelah berkhidmat selama 41 tahun bersama TUDB sejak tahun 1981. Majlis Penamatan Perkidmatan Pesawat Bolkow 105 telah berlangsung di Pusat Pergerakan Udara, Pengkalan Udara Rimba yang dihadiri oleh sebahagian anggota-anggota yang pernah berkhidmat bersama Pesawat Bolkow 105.
Hadir selaku tetamu kehormat pada majlis tersebut ialah Pemerintah TUDB, Brigedier Jeneral (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan Mohammad Sharif bin Dato Paduka Haji Ibrahim, yang juga menyampaikan ucapan sempena penamatan perkhidmatan pesawat Bolkow 105.
Sejurus selesai ucapan, Pemerintah TUDB turut mengisytiharkan penamatan perkhidmatan dengan menandatangani replika dokumen BAF 707: Change of Serviceability Log yang merupakan penandatangan terakhir dokumen pesawat tersebut sebelum ianya tamat secara rasmi dari perkhidmatan. Pemerintah TUDB seterusnya menyaksikan tayangan video klip mengenai perjalanan sejarah Bolkow 105.
Pesawat Bolkow 105 yang didatangkan dari Jerman mula berkhidmat bersama Cawangan Udara di bawah operasi No.2 Skuadron pada tahun 1981 dengan kekuatan enam buah pesawat. Ianya dikendalikan sepenuhnya dari segi pentadbiran dan penyelenggaraan oleh REME (Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineering), British Army Loan Service, sebelum ianya diambil alih sepenuhnya oleh anggota-anggota tempatan mulai tahun 1993.
Helikopter tersebut dilengkapi dengan sistem Roket Sura yang bertujuan untuk meningkatkan sistem pertahanan negara yang berkesan dengan kemampuan penembakan udara ke bumi (Air to Ground) dan sokongan pertahanan jarak dekat (Close Air Support). Pada 2003, sistem roket tersebut diganti dengan sistem roket baru dari Belgium iaitu Forges De Zeebrugge (Rocket FZ) yang berkemampuan untuk menembak roket berkelajuan dua kali ganda dari bunyi dan boleh mencapai jarak hingga sepuluh kilometer.
Dikenali dengan gelaran atau callsign “Stinger” bukan sahaja kerana saiz yang kecil berbanding pesawat operasi yang lain bahkan juga keunikannya memiliki ketangkasan (agility) dan responsiveness yang sangat luar biasa pesawat ini terkenal dengan operasi yang memerlukan kecekapan dan kecepatan dalam menangani tugasan sulit seperti pemindahan kecemasan (emergency evacuation), tembakan penembak tepat dan penghalang kenderaan musuh.
Mempunyai keupayaan enjin kembar dan boleh dikendalikan oleh seorang juruterbang (single pilot operation), antara peranan penting bagi pesawat tesebut adalah bantuan mencari dan mengesan (search and locate), pemantauan sempadan dan maritim, pengangkutan anggota-anggota dan pelbagai peranan keselamatan dan perkhidmatan bantuan yang diperlukan.
Majlis Penamatan Perkhidmatan Pesawat Bolkow 105 tersebut diteruskan dengan penyampaian cenderahati kenangan kepada TUDB daripada 12 Skuadron dan 52 Skuadron dan juga cenderahati khas kepada Pemerintah TUDB.
Terdapat 36 orang juruterbang Bolkow 105 yang di sepanjang perkhidmatannya dan jumlah keseluruhan (accumulated total) jam penerbangan telah mencapai 32,000 jam bagi kesemua pesawat Bolkow 105. Majlis Penamatan Perkhidmatan Pesawat Bolkow 105 ini dipengerusikan oleh Pemangku Pegawai Memerintah 12 skuadron, Mejar (U) Mohd Adi Faiz, yang masih mengekalkan currency penerbangan bersama Bolkow 105 sejak tahun 2014 dan memperolehi jam penerbangan hampir 800 jam dengan pesawat tersebut.
Sebelum mengakhiri majlis dengan sesi bergambar ramai bersama pesawat dan anggota-anggota Bolkow 105, Pemerintah TUDB dijemput bagi menyaksikan pameran Galeri Kenangan yang memaparkan gambar-gambar serta alat-alat kenangan pesawat Bolkow 105 dan anggota-anggota di sepanjang perkhidmatannya di Tentera Udara selama 41 tahun.
